June (Dianir) Test Drive Meme

[hugtopiamods]

June (Dianir) Test Drive Meme
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Dianir, the month when Diacht's power begins to take hold, has begun and the effects of the previous month's rejuvenation have finally worn off. The city is fresh and new with flora and fauna, and the weather begins to turn ever hotter with each passing day as summer begins encroaching upon spring. The natives and new residents alike are adjusting to the first major changes to Havenwell's layout in centuries relatively well, all things considered, with natives slowly and cautiously beginning to expand businesses and homes into the newly opened areas. The temples are abuzz with activity as adherents flock to them, offering praise and words of thanks for the gods and the offworlders, without whom this major step forward would not have been possible.

❥ PROMPT I: Basic Instincts

Randomly and without warning, characters will find that, depending upon the strength of their deity, they may begin exhibiting some...odd qualities associated with their god. Those whose gods are the weakest will find the desire to give in to these qualities are the strongest, bordering on nigh impossible to ignore. Like an itch in the middle of your back that you can't reach, but you're going crazy trying to get it. The longer your character ignores the desire, the stronger it gets. Those whose gods are the strongest will find the urge there and definitely annoyingly loud, but not impossible to ignore for longer periods of time. And what qualities are we talking about? Well, from strongest to weakest, those qualities are...

♥ Ohma (strongest urge): While normally standoffish and languid, this feline god can also cling to things and people at times with an almost obsessive fervor. They need everyone to know that what is theirs belongs to them, and what better way to do that than to mark what is most important to them? People and things adherents of Ohma deem essential or necessary to their lives will find that their Ohma-driven friends are unusually clingy, wanting to hold hands or press up as close as possible to them. It might be hard to go about your day when an Ohma adherent has their arms around your waist, face pressed to your back or chest, unwilling to let go! Another unusual trait to pop up is their hunting instinct. This seems to come out most strongly around the followers of Ainea and Diacht, where Ohma's predatory instincts cause them to play-stalk and play-hunt their fellow offworlders. It's all in good fun though! Give them a tackle or a tag and the urge to 'chase' seems to go away.

♥ Ainea: The little mouse deity is renowned for her compassion and family devotion, but a little known trait of hers is the need to gather. Whether it be people or things, Aineans will find an overwhelming need to pack-rat and hoard as much stuff as possible. Oddly, things that aren't owned by other people already (such as items from stores or museums) hold very little value to them. But that scarf someone else is wearing? Yoink. That person who catches your eye as they walk down the street? Yup. You're going to be gathering everything you can and everything that catches your eye into a central location - be it your home or some other meaningful place to you - in an attempt to bring together a cozy, happy home. Once you've created your perfect little cozy pile, wouldn't it be nice to just dig in and snooze with all of your favoritest things and people? Of course it would! It just might be hard because people tend to want to go about your lives and you? You'd rather they stay right where they are with you.

♥ Diacht: This is the beginning of the avian god's cycle and when their power is beginning to grow incrementally, but that doesn't seem to be excluding them from the chaos. While known for their honesty and honor, Diacht isn't above their more basic instincts. One of which is an almost comical obsession with anything shiny. What's shiny to a Diacht adherent? Well, that depends on each person. It could literally be a bit of tinsel or metal that glints in the bright early summer sun, or it could be a person with whom you've begun to feel a special connection. Diachtians will feel an urge to rush in and snatch up what catches their eye the most, which could put them at odds with both Aineans and Rawnas trying to hold onto their belongings. Beware of the Ohmans who might be stalking you from the shadows, too. If you manage to successfully make off with your latest prize, where better to stash it (or them) than high up, right? You'll be wanting to take over a high perch in town, which might put you into direct confrontation with the Rawnans as you bicker over who really has the right to claim the town fountain, the research towers, or the newly discovered colosseum as their own.

♥ Rawna (weakest urge): Currently the strongest of the deities, adherents of the draconic god will find these urges the easiest to ignore for the longest possible time. The desire is still there, however, and seeing everyone else go buckwild around you might just trigger something deep within: a sense of territorialism. That's your stuff they're taking! And your people! And hey! That's your house! That's your garden and no one else is allowed inside! The urge to protect and keep what's yours for you and you alone is extremely high this month. Sharing is not caring, thank you very much. In fact, it might be easiest to keep an eye on all that you own if you're also the owner of the highest points in town - the town fountain, the research towers, and the newly discovered colosseum. Rawna adherents will find themselves fighting and bickering among themselves and with the Diacht followers to claim ownership of the highest points of land that they can find. Don't be too violent though! No one likes a sore loser. They'll also want to watch out for the Aineans who might just steal that which you hold dearest.

❥ PROMPT II: What'd You Say To Me?

With the gods so thoroughly distracted by their baser needs, it seems something fairly important to the off-worlders' lives has also gone on the fritz. Randomly throughout the month, characters may find that they suddenly can't understand each other. The universal translation magic that's been holding everything together will randomly cut in and out, like spotty WiFi at a public bus station. You could be in the midst of a conversation and suddenly everything that comes out of your partner's mouth turns to gibberish, or just into their native language which you, unfortunately, don't seem to understand. Speak every language fluently? Have a spell that makes you telepathic? Chances are, it won't work. Whether it's written, spoken, thought or gestured, the language barrier is nigh insurmountable whenever this malady passes over you. Thankfully, as with most things here, if you and your conversation friend decide to touch for awhile, the effects wane and pass on as if nothing had gone wrong at all. Let go and it might come back though, so you best be prepared!

❥ PROMPT III: Gotta Make Money to Spend Money

Clothes in Havenwell for more than just offworlders are starting to become a thing, although the availability of good clothing and custom clothing can still be quite expensive. With natives and non-natives alike trying to vye for the latest fashions and outdo one another for an upcoming competition, what little was available is pretty quickly gone from the shelves, leaving the few tailors in town charging premiums for any new products that are needed. Luckily, the wheels of capitalism don't stop, even in this faraway land, and paid jobs are currently plentiful. If you aren't looking to join in the festivities, don't despair! The dora you earn through these tasks can just as easily be spent on other goods and services as you like. A job board is posted in front of tailors and other shops, advertising the following things that people are willing to pay to get done:

• Research Towers: Attention, Offworlders! We hear your calls for innovative cuisine! Create a recipe using available ingredients in Havenwell (replicated or not) with a friend and describe it in detail for potential use in future replicator recipes. We only require that you and your friend taste test and be able to describe the taste, texture, and feeling this food gives you. Please deliver your completed recipes to Research Tower East. Edible and named recipes, regardless of whether they are utilized or not, will receive dora in exchange!
  
• City Council: Attention, Offworlders! We have heard that "homesickness" is a thing that many people might be experiencing and we have heard you! Please are paying for people to bring us examples of your home cultures - be it stories, plays, history or something else. Dramatic reenactments, video recordings, and physical recreations are preferred.
  
• Entertainment District: Attention, Artists! We are experimenting with new synthetic materials that may be useful for your artistic endeavors. Please visit your local museum to pick up a sample pack. Payment for acceptable artistic creations that utilize these new materials in a new and innovative way is being offered. Materials include: new colors of synthetic paints, a more malleable synthetic clay, and a synthetic marble for carving. Offworlder models preferred.
  
• Business District: Help Wanted! We are looking for delivery drones. Those interested should contact the delivery center. Requirements: be capable of moving quickly, carrying large loads of cargo, efficient, and safe! We need machinery, building supplies, personal packages and more shipped and delivered across all of Havenwell. Most packages currently awaiting delivery will require a minimum of two people to deliver. For those without transport, we are offering a crash course in piloting our newly minted three-wheeled delivery scooters.

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Have fun however you like with the setting! Make a network-style toplevel, make up other prompts based on the general setting, go wild. Havenwell is your oyster.

This TDM is for the July application round. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread below. The reservation round begins on June 29, 2020 at 10:00PM EST and our applications will run from July 2, 2020 to July 9, 2020 from 10:00PM EST to 10:00PM EST.

♥ Taken Characters ♥ Reservations ♥ Applications ♥

Comments

[the4united]

Devon is able to pick out a few scattered words like "meet," "apologize," "such," and "awkward." Unfortunately those few don't add up to anything when he tries to put them together. It's incredibly irritating.

"This isn't normal, is it?"

Gods he hopes not. Being dragged to somewhere he doesn't know and given another near impossible mission is bad enough. He doesn't want to have to deal with communication problems too. Making other people understand when they speak the same language is hard enough in his experience.

[kingkingcxiii]

Regis frowns when the only word he catches is 'normal.' Thankfully, that plus the questioning tone does make it easy to guess at what has just been said.

"No, thank the Astrals. It is nowhere near normal." Regis, or course, has no idea how much, if any, of his words will make it through to Devon, so he telegraphs his movements when he steps closer, then lays his fingers on the man's sleeve, and if allowed, will simply trace the letters "N" and "O" on it.

[the4united]

Devon's face washes over with relief at the feeling of those letters, and he absolutely lights up. It's enough to make him at least appear more his age again.

"Thanks goodness! That's at least one thing I don't have to worry about then!"

[kingkingcxiii]

Sadly, Regis doesn't understand a word of that, but he doesn't need to. Not with the way Devon's expression absolutely lights up. One weight has been lifted from his shoulders. That still leaves all the other trials of settling into a strange new place, but at least he won't have to do most of it while not being able to understand anyone.

Since tracing that word on his sleeve worked, Regis defaults back to it, speaking what he is writing aloud just in case the writing starts to mess up as well.

Oh, he sure hopes it doesn't!

"Do you need anything?"

Detailed discussion will likely have to wait until later, but if the man is hungry or anything like that, Regis can certainly do his best to accommodate until this passes.

[the4united]

It had worked for a simple two letter word, but it's too much for Devon to try and figure out what letter is being written by feel and then attempt to put those letters together into multiple words. He loses track too easily.

"Wait!"

He has an idea! The ground beneath his feet feels soft enough that it could be dirt. He manages to find a small handful when he couches down, which is just perfect. With a quick wave of his other hand he draws water into existence and directs it's form into a small tray before solidifying it into ice. After dumping the small scoop of dirt into the tray, he magically adds more water so it's a nice muddy mess - more water than dirt really. That's what will allow him to read what Regis writes though.

"You can write in it! It'll be much easier!"

[kingkingcxiii]

Regis pauses when Devon calls out. Once more he cannot understand what the man is saying, but he can guess easily enough and it confirms something he had been worried about. Even if no issue with with language arose, a full sentence, even a short one, might be too much to follow. He's about to give up on the writing idea all together, when Devon appears to have an idea all his own.

The magic use is actually quite impressive, though Regis isn't sure how it will work even with catching the words "You can write in it!" Still, he doesn't exactly know how Devon's magic works. He only knows how his works.

He takes a moment longer to look at what Devon has drawn into being and then repeats in it what he said before, "Do you need anything?"

After a moment's pause, he then adds two more words, "Very impressive."

[the4united]

Devon hasn't even considered the fact that writing could be impacted by the same unknown cause of the language difficulties in the first place. He's just running with whatever option he can think of.

When the writing comes across, he can feel the shift in the water's position and can easily make a mental picture of what it looks like in his head. That way he can "read" it without actually being able to see it. A blush appears on his face at the comment that his magic was impressive, and he pointedly ignores the remark.

"Probably a lot. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

He "writes" the return response by placing his finger into the mud mixture and allowing his magic to alter the shape of the water. His normal writing would likely give him away as blind. Without being able to see, the letters easily overlap and shift so they don't remotely resemble a straight line.

[kingkingcxiii]

The caution is warranted, not because Regis would ever use someone's disability against them, but because he has been living with a blind man for several months now. If anyone was going to pick up on the signs, it would be him. Fortunately, this method of communicating bypasses that risk completely. In fact, Regis is rather distracted by just how well it works, his interest in magic of all kinds giving Devon another layer of protection that will keep his secret safe.

"We should discuss how that works when communication is back to normal. How wonderful!" He says this aloud and even if the words don't come across, his excitement and awe are very clear in his tone. Regis then turns his attention back to writing a response, "In short? Hug people. Contact strengthens the gods; the gods repair the planet."

[the4united]

Had Devon know Regis was just as excited by magic as he is, he'd be nearly ecstatic. Where he's from there's such clan divisions between magicians that discussing different types of magic doesn't usually go over very well. He's never met someone else just as interested in learning as many different types of magic as possible.

Instead of picking that up, however, he picks up the "hug" part. His face pales dramatically.

"W-what?"

He had to be kidding, right?

[kingkingcxiii]

Regis has grown used to the shocked responses at this point, but he still turns an understanding look at Devon before he starts to write his response.

"The gods of the land draw power from positive contact. Holding hands, hugging, and cuddling are all examples of what helps."

[the4united]

All of which were things Devon had little to no experience with. The thought of doing any of those things is actually kind of terrifying. He doesn't even know how to respond to that as it's so completely mind boggling. And here he'd just been worried about finding somewhere safe to stay...

"Oh..."